Carl Sandburg College Closing Children’s School

The college announced Sunday in a press release that the 13 employees — 11 of which who are full-time — affected by the closure were notified Friday, and that the closure will take effect when Spring Semester contracts expire June 6th.

Sandburg President Lori Sundberg says that the Children’s School opened in 1977 as a lab school for students in child development and nanny programs, but that both programs no longer exist due to declines in enrollment.

Sundberg says the college has been financially supporting the Children’s School, and it can no longer afford to do so, since state aid is drying up. In fact, Sundberg says the school has taken about a $750,000 loss over the last seven years.

The college says the Chidren’s School will be renovated into classroom space — something they say is very much needed right now.

Sundberg says, “we’re very proud of the role the Children’s School has played for Carl Sandburg College,” but also, “continuing to provide for the Children’s School would take away from the College’s core mission.”